“It is very clear” that “on current, reasonable
expectations about policy that the U.S. federal deficit will be
unsustainable within 15 or 20 years at the most,” Bernanke said
in response to questions from the Senate Budget Committee.
“Possibly some of those effects will be brought forward by
markets, for example,” he said during testimony.

“These are concerns, I want to emphasize, which are not
just about our children 20 years from now but they could have
effects much sooner if markets begin to lose confidence,” the
Fed chairman said.